Córdoba

Long-tailed Meadowlark Sturnella loyca ©James Lowen Website
Birding in Cordoba

Between two big biomes, El Parque Chaqueño and El Espinal, lies Cordoba province, The first biome has warm weather, scarce rains and seasonal differences with a predominance of xerophytic scrub woodland dominated by quebrachos and algarrobos, called Chaco. This is great habitat for guans, tinamous, doves, seriemas, parrots and parakeets. The other biome, El Espinal, also has seasonal differences but its forests are less dense with more spiny trees, shrubs, cactus and grass. Among the avian residents are tyrants, doraditos, flycatchers, monjitas, cowbirds, saltators, cardinals and finches.These environments and their species, had its origins in the biodiversity of life forms generated as a consequence of the evolution in the lands happening in the Central Argentinean Region 250 millions years ago. These volcanic events, without eruptions, determined geomorphological conditions of wavy terrain that subsequently created climate modifications settled by floral and fauna streams from different sources, mainly tropical or subtropical.

The uprising of La Cordillera de los Andes and the folding up off the plains and the Pampas Mountain Range determining a ground profile of high narrow valleys which is appropriate for species such as xerophytics. In the northwest of the central area where Cordoba is today four parallels mountainous chains were formed that range from 1000m to 3000m and in the southeastern area a flat plain was formed – The Pampas.Its Mediterranean conditions allowed an influx of a species from many different places of origin this in turn attracted an avifauna from distant points. The most significant influence on them was from the west with Andean, austral or antarctic origins. The other migratory current was off tropical forms, especially in the northeast, where Brazilian and Paraguayan species predominate.

The pampas, valleys and mountains hold around 390 bird species thriving on diverse ecosystems such as high forests, rock, grasslands, steppes and marshes, palmars, chaco forests, cactus deserts, big Salinas and large lakes; La Laguna de Mar Chiquita with one million hectares of aquatic and marshy areas brilliant for local and migrants birds. Some early colonisers have speciated and are now endemic. Now Cordoba had many endemic species and subspecies of birds, such as Cinclodes, Agriornis, Asthenes, Xolmis, & Geositta. A few birds are on the endangered list such as: Dinelli’s Doradito, Narosky’s Seedeater and Yellow Cardinal. There are only a modest handful or rarities and specialty birds such as Salinas Monjita, Black-crowned and White Monjita, Spot-winged Falconet, Two-banded Plover, Tawny-throated Dotterel, Dot-winged Crake or Red-tailed Comet.

Cordoba has an excellent road infrastructure that allow you to go very quickly to the better places for birds. A super site to start a birding itinerary is Villa Carlos Paz with 300 hotels of all categories 30 minutes from International Airport.

Top Sites
  • Córdoba Hills

    Satellite View
    There are 2 ways to get there. One is flying from Buenos Aires to Córdoba city and from there get by car into the not so far Calamuchita Valley distant about 100 km (60 m.) to the south. The other way is to drive from Buenos Aires to the northwest along National Route 8 and then go straight into the Calamuchita Valley distant about 650 km (400 m.). There are lots of small roads and trails leading from the main road into the Hills and some adjacent openings and fields. Sereimas can be found as well as the White Woodpecker, Spot-winged Pigeon, Red-tailed Comet. Often the places are overflown by noisy bunches of Burrowing Parrots and standing on a twig a Golden-billed Saltator can be seen calling. Look out for the Chestnut Cinclodes, an endemic to Córdoba. Often on top of the hills soaring Condors can be seen.
  • General

    The most attractive Hot Spots in the state are Las Salinas Grandes (330 km), Laguna de Mar Chiquita (250 km), Chancani (270 km), Cerro Colorado (200 km) or Altas Cumbres (100 km) just for to mention a few. Each of these areas shelters a rich variety of birds and has its own special species. (Distances from Cordoba City)
Contributors
  • Juan Carlos Grasso

    | jcgrasso@arnet.com.ar

Number of Species
  • Number of bird species: 432

    (As at May 2019)
Endemics
  • Number of endemics: Endemic Species and Sub-species

    Rufous-banded Miner Geositta rufipennis ottowi; Common Miner Geositta cunicularia hellmari; Cordilleran Canastero Asthenes modesta cordobae; Cordoba Canastero Asthenes sclateri sclateri; Steinbach's Canastero Asthenes steinbachi neiffi; Rusty-backed Monjita Xolmis rubetra; Salinas Monjita Xolmis salinarium; Black-bellied Shrike Tyrant Agriornis montana fumous; Rufous-naped Ground Tyrant Musisaxicola rufivertex achalensis; Plumbeous Sierra Finch Phrygilus unicolor cyaneus; Narosky's Seedeater Phrygilus plebejus narosky; Long-tailed Meadowlark Sturnella loyca obscura; Olrog's Cinclodes (Gray-flanked) Cinclodes oustaleti olrogi; Cordoba Cinclodes (Chestnut winged) Cinclodes comechingonus; White-winged Cinclodes Cinclodes atacamensis schocolatinus; Sandy Gallito Teledromas fuscus; Cinnamon Warbling Finch Poospiza ornate; Dinelli's Doradito Pseudocolopteryx dinellianus; Andean Tinamou Nothoprocta pentlandii doeringi; Plain-coloured Seedeater Catamenia inornata cordobae
Reserves

Abbreviations Key

  • NP Quebrada del Condorito National Park

    InformationSatellite View
    Quebrada del Condorito National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Quebrada del Condorito) is a national park in Argentina, in Córdoba Province. It was established in 1996…
  • NP Traslasierra National Park

    InformationSatellite View
    The project consists of converting the 105,000 hectares of the Cordovan Pinas ranch into a national park with the aim of protecting both its biodiversity and its historical heritage.
Guides & Tour Operators
  • Trogon Tours

    Tour Operator
    Trogon Tours is the official nature travel company of Birding Argentina, the leading birding and nature specialists for southern South America since 2001
Trip Reports
  • 2015 [10 October] - Luis Segura - Córdoba Endemics Pre-tour Extension

    PDF Report
    ...Our Northern Argentina 2015 tour started with Córdoba Endemics extension...
Blogs
  • Galileo Geeraert - Aves de Cordoba

    BLOG
    Birds of Cordoba is a blog where I show pictures and videos of Cordoba's birds and techniques for photographing them, also legends. Birds of Argentina are 1000 birds of Cordoba are 400 we try to photograph those and then share them with you.

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